NPR Names Government Liaison

• After an extensive national search, NPR has appointed Marta McLellan Ross as VP for Government & External Affairs, charged with leading NPR’s Policy and Representation team, starting in April. NPR’s Policy and Representation team is critical to promoting and defending the public funding that strengthens and supports NPR and in their advocacy for legislation that protects public radio journalists and the freedom of the press.

“Marta McLellan Ross brings a distinguished history of work in public service and more than a decade of legislative experience to the role,” said John Lansing, NPR President & CEO. “She will leverage her public service expertise to explain the impact of our work to Members of Congress, particularly the vital work of public radio stations across the country in service to local communities.”

McLellan Ross most recently served as Director of Legislative Affairs at the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), representing DLA to members of Congress and their staff. Prior to joining DLA, she was the Acting Director of Congressional Affairs at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) for three years, advising on legislative strategy, leading preparation for Congressional hearings, and directing responses to Congressional oversight.

“I am honored to join NPR and contribute to its public media mission,” said McLellan Ross. “Growing up in a military family, studying in Alabama and Massachusetts, and now working in our nation’s Capital, I have always been drawn to NPR’s coverage of the nuances of the American story. NPR’s role is even more important now in fostering national dialogue and understanding. As a member of the NPR team, it will be a privilege to support public radio’s policy priorities and Member stations in explaining their service to and impact in local communities across the United States.”